Aliasger Salem, Ph.D. gave a presentation on the “Immunotherapy of Melanoma” at a Melanoma Research Symposium held at The University of Iowa on Jan. 19, 2013.

Studies have shown that despite aggressive treatment with surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy, high-risk melanoma still has a dismal prognosis. During the symposium, sponsored by the Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center, Salem presented on a new and novel vaccine that stimulates melanoma antigen-specific anti-tumor immune responses against melanoma. His team is in the early stages of a new vaccine strategy that should be superior to more established vaccine strategies.

The symposium was targeted to Iowa-based physicians who focus on treatment of melanoma, and researchers who focus on development of new therapies for melanoma, to present current strategies being used to treat patients. The goal of the symposium was to bring together clinicians and scientists to foster collaborations and generate new ideas for improving the treatment of melanoma.

Dr. Salem participates in symposiums locally, nationally and internationally, and will be sharing similar ideas and results later this year in Utah for the American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy national meeting and again in Moscow, Russia for an international meeting focused on nanotechnologies in cancer diagnosis, therapy and prevention.